


Sanctuary

by Archadian_Skies



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-25 00:09:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2601404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archadian_Skies/pseuds/Archadian_Skies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a body crumbling from decay Ruvik seeks a new host, but in order to get his hands on it he must dismantle the mysteries that lay before him in the form of KCPD's finest Detectives.</p>
<p>Alternate canon where Ruvik offers Sebastian Castellanos all the missing pieces of the puzzle in exchange for solving- and keeping his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ingu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ingu/gifts).



> Written for Ingu, and her heartbreaking ideas testing just how far Sebastian would go for those he loved.

There lay, in each of them, a puzzle to be studied and solved. No two puzzles were alike, and that only served to fuel his curiosity until the flame blazed into an all-consuming inferno.

Lily Gabriela Teresa Castellanos was the first, and her puzzle was the easiest and quickest to solve. She was little, filled with nothing but innocence and blissful joy.

“ _Niña_ , look at this!”

He offered her a pretty lantern, and the sweet child took it in her chubby hands and clumsily dropped it and the fire ate her tiny body in the blink of an eye.

Myra Lilian Hanson was the second, and her puzzle was solved by offering her more puzzles. She was curious, was determined and her moral compass pointed straight and true.

“Myra, I know who did this to your daughter.” He offered her puzzles until one was too big to solve and swallowed her up in her grief.

Joseph Jotaro Oda was the third, and he found the man had done most of the work for him. Deep inside his puzzle box, he waged a war against himself. Locked away inside were feelings of attraction, feelings of guilt, of recklessness, of helplessness, of a bittersweet darkness that was both painful and comforting.

Ruvik simply made the man stand before himself, and he delighted in watching Joseph tear his mind apart.

“Poor Joseph, you have always been a shadow in his greatness.” He smiled pityingly and delighted as Joseph winced. “Shadows only exist when the sun is out, and his sun disappeared a long time ago. It’s time you did too.”

The gun was a formality, the Haunted a finality and Joseph used the last bullet wisely.

Leslie Withers was not a puzzle to solve, but a box to use. His own body was crumbling from decay, and he needed one that was young and fresh and empty. To get to Leslie Withers, Ruvik needed to go through two more people.

Sebastian Paolo Gabriel Castellanos was well on his way to not solving his puzzle, but destroying it. Ruvik tried to solve him the way he’d solved the others; innocence, curiosity, and self-doubt, but none of them worked. Sebastian was too seasoned in the world’s darkness, too content to be curious, too selfless to doubt himself.

Ruvik had to be careful with this one, had to inspect his puzzle box with fervent scrutiny to find a weakness, an opening that would lead to his downfall.

Ruvik considered himself resourceful, so he decided to use his resources.

* * *

 

“What the fuck?” Sebastian muttered irritably as his boots squelched rotting viscera underfoot. He was tired, and his clothes damp with sweat and blood that were both his and not his. His muscles ached and there was a weariness in his bones he couldn’t push away.

He’d lost Kidman and Oda at least two hours ago, and Leslie a good three hours prior. Wiping grime from his face, he hefted the lantern up and tried to gain his bearings.

_‘Gabriel?’_

He froze, the air knocked from him.

_‘Gabriel can you hear me?’_

“Myra?” No. It couldn’t be her.

Could it?

_‘Gabriel where are you?’_

“Myra! Myra stay there- I’ll- I’m coming!” Sebastian ran towards her voice, heart pounding in his chest. A shadow crossed his path, hurrying to the path down his left.

_‘Sebastian, my husband. Gabriel, my angel.’_

Her voice made his chest ache and it had long, so long since he had heard her call his name. She stood in their bedroom, wearing an evening gown with her hair piled up high off her shoulders and her lips lacquered in red.

_‘Darling, if you don’t hurry we’ll be late to dinner!’_

Sebastian looked down at himself, finding he was dressed in a neat black suit.

“Myra what’s going on?”

_‘Going on?’_ She echoed with a confused smile. _‘Dinner date, remember? Babysitter’s looking after Lily and Joseph’s taking your case with Julie.’_

Her hands were warm when she cupped his face and he could smell her favourite perfume on her skin and he wanted her, wanted to give in and drown himself in her love.

But she wasn’t real.

“I’m so sorry.” Sebastian closed his eyes, stepping back as her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the floor clutching the stab wound in her middle. “I love you, and I’m sorry.”

Their bedroom melted away back into the crumbling, derelict surroundings and Sebastian took a moment to steady his trembling hands. The hunting knife he gripped was bright red with fresh blood.

“Seb!”

“Joseph?” He spun around, finding Joseph bracing himself against the doorway, panting for breath. “Joseph, how did you find me?”

“I saw you running down the corridor.” His partner glanced at the knife in his hand. “Are you alright?”

“Got ambushed, but I made it through.” Sebastian couldn’t help but feel relieved that his partner had found him. “You ok?”

“I’ve only got one clip of ammo left but I managed to take this axe from one of them.” The younger man’s grin was slightly sheepish and Sebastian chuckled tiredly.

“Good work. C’mon, let’s get out of here.” He moved passed him, checking the corridor to ensure it was clear before waving for him to follow.

The room was empty.

“Joseph?” Sebastian called, looking around the room. “Joseph where are you?”

Silence.

“Joseph?”

“He’s with the Chief, Castellanos.” Connelly called from the other side of the room, and Sebastian found himself in the locker room of the precinct.

“Thanks Oscar.” Sebastian opened his locker and found a large flat box nestled inside.

_‘For Lily’s seventh birthday, what do you think?’_

He plucked off the post-it note and sat on the bench with the box on his lap. For her third birthday Joseph had gifted her with an intricate kimono, explaining how in his culture a little girl’s third and seventh birthday were celebrated on November 15th as milestones in the future woman’s life.

Inside the box were brightly coloured yellow silks painted with orange and gold flowers, folded neatly in tissue paper.

The silk was soft at the touch, and Sebastian marveled at the craftsmanship.

Only, Lily never made it to her seventh birthday because she never made it to her sixth, and no coffin should ever be that small.

Joseph looked across at him with pain clear on his face as he gripped the silver handles of the tiny white coffin. Only two pallbearers were needed, and Joseph had volunteered to perform the duty even before Sebastian could open his mouth to ask.

The coffin was light but his chest was heavy, so heavy and it hurt to breathe as he carried the fancy box containing his daughter’s remains.

No coffin should ever be that small.

“It’s better this way.” Joseph was smiling even through his tears, and he held the pistol to his head with unwavering conviction.

“No!” Sebastian knocked him to the ground, and Joseph’s body collapsed into ashes.

“You’re tainted.” Though her voice trembled, her hands were steady as she pointed the gun at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Kidman?” He inched closer to the door, hands up in surrender.

“I have to get Leslie out of here. I’m sorry.” She gritted her teeth, the conflict clear on her face as she slammed the door shut and bolted him in. “I’m sorry Detective.”

“Kidman!” Sebastian pounded on the metal door.

Something pounded back. Louder. Harder.

“What the-?” He backed away hurriedly, grabbing the axe from the bloodied floor. The door burst from its hinges and thudded onto the stone floor.

The doorway was empty.

“Hello? Kid? Joseph?” Sebastian called out, cautiously stepping into the corridor. Somewhere in the distance he could hear faint sobbing. “Leslie?”

There was a wail of distress, and then the crying began anew and something in his chest _twisted_.

_‘Papi!’_

No.

_‘Papi!’_

No.                

His heart in his throat, Sebastian broke into a run as he chased after the weeping. Rounding a corner, he almost slammed into the hooded figure blocking his path.

“Papi! Papi I’m scared!” She was wearing the summer dress her _Abue_ had sewn for her and embroidered with tiny daisies.

“Don’t hurt her!” Sebastian tried to push Ruvik away but the man stood as solid as a wall. “Don’t you fucking touch her!”

“Papi!” She wailed, rubbing her eyes as she cried, and her bare feet were coated in blood as she stood in the viscera.

“Let me go!” Sebastian demanded, throwing his full weight against Ruvik. “Move, you bastard! I have to help her!”

“Like you helped her before?” Ruvik tilted his head with a smile, waving his fingers dismissively. Lily screamed, dropping to the ground and clutching her head.

“STOP IT!” Sebastian roared, plunging the knife into Ruvik’s head. The man dissipated, only to reappear by Lily’s side and tenderly gather the bloodsoaked bundle into his arms. “Give me my daughter, give her back!”

“Alright.” He smiled so pleasantly Sebastian fell silent. “But you have to do something for me. Can you do something for me Sebastian?”

“Anything.” Sebastian felt ill as he watched Ruvik press a kiss to Lily’s brow. “I’ll do anything for her.”

Carefully setting her back on her feet, Ruvik gently coaxed her to her father. Sebastian fell to his knees and opened his arms.

“ _Cariño, o mi cariño_.” He buried his face in her neck as he wrapped her in his arms, and her small body shook with sobs.

“How old was she, Sebastian?” Ruvik’s smile was pitying and malicious.

He could barely see through his tears as he cupped her little face in his calloused hands and pressed kisses to her rosy cheeks. Her hair was the same honey colour as Myra’s, run through with waves that curled at the tips. Beautiful and perfect.

“She was five.” His voice was raw from tears as he pressed her close and embraced her without any intention of letting her go.

“Where were you, Sebastian?”

“I was at work. We both were.”

“Chasing white rabbits while your sweet little angel burned in hellfire.” His laugh rattled in Sebastian’s skull and he squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to block him out.

“Papi?”

“Yes _mija_?” He put on a gentle smile for her as he swept her hair from her bloodied face.

“Where’s mami?”

“She’s not far.” Ruvik answered, dropping into a crouch beside them and offering her a smile. “Shall we go see her?”

“Yes please!” Lily brightened, and Sebastian tightened his hold around her waist.

“What do you say, Sebastian? Shall we go see your wife?” His touch was icy cold as he clasped Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Please.”

“Please what, Sebastian?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Is this not better?” Ruvik frowned in mock surprise. “What do you have waiting for you back in Krimson City, hm? A badge and booze?”

“Don’t do this to me.”

“I’m not doing anything, precious angel.” Fingers rigid with decay traced the curve of Sebastian’s jawline. “I’m merely offering you a favourable bargain.”

“I can’t afford it.”

“You can. You’re very good at keeping things close to your heart, even better than dear Joseph.” Ruvik laughed, moving his hand to tighten around Sebastian’s throat. “Three lives for the price of two sounds like a favourable bargain, doesn’t it?”

Lily toyed with the tattered hem of Ruvik’s robe, eyes wide with childish delight, and the man smiled fondly, running a hand through her soft hair.

“You can have them back- all of them. She can have her sixth birthday and her seventh and her fifteenth.”

Lily’s _Quinceañera_.

“She can wear her grandmother’s lace shawl and she can pin the rose to your lapel.” Ruvik crooned, stroking Lily’s hair. “And on her twentieth, she can wear the Kimono passed down through the Oda family. You can even walk her down the aisle. Wouldn’t you like that, Sebastian?”

“What do you want me to do?” His voice was heavy, weary with emotion and he found himself unable to look Ruvik in the eye.

“I need you to fetch me my new puzzle box, can you do that?” He used the same tone he’s used with Lily. “And then you’ll stay here forever with your family, protecting them like a good angel should. Protecting them like you couldn’t protect any of them before.”

“Myra. Lily. Joseph.” Sebastian grabbed him by the front of his robes. “All three of them. You will give me all three of them, alive and whole; safe and _sane_.”

“Untainted. Untouched.” Ruvik cupped his face with the tenderness of a lover. “And you will keep all of them safe- even me.”

He pushed Ruvik away and dropped to one knee in front of his daughter.

“ _Cariño_? Papi has to go do something for work, and then I’ll be right back ok?”

“Ok.” She smiled, patting his cheeks. “Don’t cry Papi, you can do it! You’re good at working.”

“Yes I am.” He kissed her sweet face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. “Be good, _mija.”_

In a blink she was gone and in another he was bound in barbed wire rooting him to the spot.

“You will keep us all safe, do you understand?” Ruvik pushed four fingers into Sebastian’s mouth, forcing it open. “Tell no truths, tell no lies. Keep us safe.”

Sebastian gagged as Ruvik pushed his fingers deeper inside his mouth. His fingers tasted like dried blood and medicine.

“Keep us safe.” Ruvik whispered, pulling his fingers out only to jam barbed wire across Sebastian’s lips and wind it around his mouth, locking it open. He choked as blood filled his mouth and ran down his chin. “Tell no truths. Tell no lies. Keep us safe.”

There was the familiar piercing sound that drilled through his brain and cut across his thoughts, and he cried out in agony as it tore through his grip on reality.

“My Keeper.”

* * *

 

There was a skittering and scratching inside his skull like a thousand little critters scuttling inside, and Sebastian clawed at his head desperately. His fingers only met metal instead of flesh. A weighty steel mallet rested in one hand, and he used it to thud against the side of the metal safe in an attempt to drown out the noise.

He threw his head back and growled, the sound wet and gurgling in his throat.

_Chase the White Rabbit. Bring him to me. Keep us safe._

The Keeper nodded obediently as Ruvik ran his fingers along the sharp metal corners of the box containing its head. Blood ran down its neck, staining what was once a white shirt and waistcoat and loosened tie.

_Bring me the White Rabbit. It cannot hide forever._

* * *

 

Julie checked her gun, cursing silently at the dwindling ammo clips in her belt and the horrifying sound of something big and heavy thudding towards her.

“Leslie!” She hissed, trying to gain the attention of the boy huddled in the corner. “Leslie, come here!”

“Here…here…here.” The boy muttered repetitively, gnawing on his fingers. “Here Kid, here Kid, here Kid.”

“That’s right. I’m Detective Kidman.” She coaxed, gesturing for him to come closer. “I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Safe. Safe. Safe.” Leslie began to sob, clutching his head as the high-pitched whine increased. “Keep. Keep. Keeper! KEEPER!”

The boy screamed and Julie pivoted in time to see the hulking creature smash open the wrought iron gate. Leslie scrambled to his feet and ran, wailing in fright.

“Damn it!” Julie swore, loading her pistol and aiming it at the approaching monster. There was something familiar about it, something not quite right.

It was wearing Sebastian’s clothes.

“What did you do to him?!” She shouted, emptying her clip into its body and cursing loudly as she realized it barely affected it. “Where is Detective Castellanos?! No! Stop! Get away from me! GET AWAY FROM M-”

It closed one large hand over her neck and lifted her from the floor. She gasped for breath as it began to squeeze her throat, and she kicked futilely at its torso.

**‘Safe.’**

Somewhere within its metal box head came a voice. A familiar voice, low and husky though muffled.

_No._

Julie squeezed her eyes shut as felt her body weakening rapidly. No, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t.

**‘Sorry.’**

_Me too._

The Keeper laid the stilled body on the ground with the reverence of a father, rearranging her limbs so she lay like a slumbering princess. Then it straightened and faced the passageway. Through one of the many safe boxes littered in the crumbling castle, it could see a boy running through a hallway.

Grabbing its metal head, it twisted, pulled and yanked until there was a sickening crunch and its head became separated from its body. It collapsed lifelessly into a slush of entrails spilling from its box head, and reformed itself through another safe box closer to the hallway.

Now to find the elusive White Rabbit.

* * *

 

“Safe. Safe. Safe.” Leslie sobbed, backing into a corner and curling up into a ball. “Safe. Safe. Sa- Seb.”

The Keeper turned its hand and offered him its palm.

“Seb? Seb? Seb?” Leslie whispered, lip quivering. “Safe Seb?”

It nodded slowly, and Leslie broke into a hesitant smile. Trustingly he placed his hand in its far larger one, and the Keeper gathered the boy into its arms and carried him back down the passageway.

* * *

 

His head throbbed as if he’d spent the entire night drinking, and Sebastian fumbled in his pocket for his house keys. He needn’t have bothered, for the door swung open from within.

“Hello darling.” Myra greeted, kissing him fondly. “I just got home myself.”

“ _Mi cielo_.” Sebastian wrapped his arms around her, pulling the band from her hair so it fell softly around her shoulders. He breathed in her scent, the scent of shampoo and perfume and everything warm and familiar.

“Quit it and get dressed. Dinner’s getting cold and Joseph’s waiting very patiently with Lily.” Myra swatted his shoulder playfully, and he stole another kiss before he relented.

“Seb, welcome home.” Joseph smiled, before coaxing the little girl on his lap to wave at him. “Look Lily, it’s your daddy.”

“Papi!” Lily raised her arms expectantly, and Sebastian scooped her up into his arms. “Did you finish your work papi?”

There was a cascade of distorted images, broken flashes, shattered memories and screams and blood, so much blood that the air was thick with the scent of copper and-

“Yes _cariño.”_ He kissed the crown of her head. “I’m home now.”


End file.
